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Panorama Box Hill is shaping as the latest skyscraper project destined for the irrepressible eastern suburb.

Registrations of interest are now being taken for the predominantly residential development which looks set for a major Whitehorse Road land holding. No address for Panorama Box Hill has been given via the project website, perhaps because it's likely 826-828 Whitehorse Road which has yet to receive formal approval from City of Whitehorse.

Lodged during December 2016, 826-828 Whitehorse Road is still going through the planning rigmarole; it is the only Whitehorse Road site capable of accommodating such a large project at planning. Nonetheless the emergence of the Panorama Box Hill website is no doubt designed to test the waters prior to the project's eventual launch.

Peddle Thorp are the architects of choice, creating a "curvaceous design which transcends all design norms. Heralded as the future of modern living in Box Hill, a glass atria allow sunlight and air flow to all residences, for natural healthy living."

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image82_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Box Hill's latest living option. Image: panoramaboxhill.com.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="867" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image82_2.jpg?itok=x3jCrkea" title="Box Hill's latest living option. Image: panoramaboxhill.com.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Box Hill's latest living option. Image: panoramaboxhill.com.au</figcaption></figure>During July 2016 Savills agents Clinton Baxter and Nick Peden commented on 826-828 Whitehorse Road's sale.

<blockquote>
The sale is a tremendous endorsement of the Melbourne and Box Hill development market placing Box Hill property on a par with land rates being achieved close to Melbourne’s CBD, and demonstrating the development powerhouse that Box Hill has become in recent years.

The intense competition from prospective purchasers reflected an ongoing confidence in what has been a tremendous market in Melbourne generally, and in areas like Box Hill specifically, over the last few years.

The vendors were also fully cognisant of the tremendous strength of the Box Hill market, one of the strongest localised areas anywhere in Australia, and the opportunity to sell in the wake of Savills successful sale of the adjacent property at 820 Whitehorse Road for $18.18 million late last year at what was a record price.
<cite>Clinton Baxter and Nick Peden, Savills</cite>
</blockquote>

The wider media have reported that a Chinese developer had secured 826-828 Whitehorse Road for $30.8 million; a new Whitehorse record of $11,623 per sqm for the 2,650sqm site.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image84_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Panorama Box Hill. Image: panoramaboxhill.com.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="773" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image84_7.jpg?itok=TAPde1nc" title="Panorama Box Hill. Image: panoramaboxhill.com.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Panorama Box Hill. Image: panoramaboxhill.com.au</figcaption></figure>Conjecture regarding its location aside, Panorama Box Hill is pushing to become one of <a href="/developments/box-hill-vic-3128">Box Hill's tallest developments</a>.

Whitehorse Towers, Sky One Box Hill, East Central Tower and 845-851 Whitehorse Road all count themselves as having 30 levels or more, with Whitehorse Towers all but complete and Sky One Box Hill to emerge above ground in the coming months. Panorma Box Hill's floor count beyond 30 should see it join the suburb's club of talls.

Another prospective Box Hill tall is 837 Whitehorse Road. Lodged wit Council during May, the application seeks the right to construct a multi-level mixed use development comprising accommodation and a residential hotel. The 1,485sqm landholding is adjacent to 845-851 Whitehorse Road Box Hill which holds approval at 37 levels.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image85_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Whitehorse Towers and early works for Sky One"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="359" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image85_0.jpg?itok=0erbAMsJ" title="Whitehorse Towers and early works for Sky One" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Whitehorse Towers and early works for Sky One</figcaption></figure>
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silvermb

Another Box Hill brute emerges from the pack

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In light of Apartments.com.au's recent article highlighting the <a href="/news/9-500-plus-new-hotel-suites-for-melbourne-a-break-down-of-the-numbers">9,500 hotel suites in development across the city</a>, it's an opportune time to look at the serviced apartment sector in comparison.

45 separate projects are in motion which include hotel suites or are solely dedicated toward hotel accommodation. Conversely the Apartments.com.au Project Database is tracking 31 current developments capable of adding a further 3,181 serviced apartments to the Melbourne market.

Traditionally not as robust as the hotel sector, Melbourne's serviced apartment market is nonetheless gaining altitude, considering Apartments.com.au is only tracking three major serviced apartment projects currently under construction. This hints to the strong line of projects yet to reach construction; 1,903 serviced apartments are approved with a further 891 at planning.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image11_16.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="General Carnes providing Quest NewQuay Docklands with its first tower crane"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="682" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image11_16.jpg?itok=6DYE1RzF" title="General Carnes providing Quest NewQuay Docklands with its first tower crane" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>General Carnes providing Quest NewQuay Docklands with its first tower crane</figcaption></figure>387 serviced apartments or only 12% of the development pipeline is currently under construction.

The headline project is Quest NewQuay Docklands. Valued at $71 million, the development is the second Quest Docklands outlet and features 221 serviced apartments under construction at the hands of developer MAB Corporation and head contractor Built. The project has been acquired by Ascott Limited and the Qatar Investment Authority.

Other projects of note under construction are the 70 Tyrian Serviced Apartments-branded suites within The Arthur at 14 Queens Road and the 96 suites within Quest Pacific Epping, located at 125 Cooper Street.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image10_12.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Holder East's joint venture on Clarendon Street includes serviced apartments"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="696" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image10_12.jpg?itok=JkPjUMaj" title="Holder East's joint venture on Clarendon Street includes serviced apartments" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Holder East's joint venture on Clarendon Street includes serviced apartments</figcaption></figure>Approved serviced apartment projects yet to be acted upon accounts for a healthy 60% of the development pipeline across 16 separate projects.

Brady Hotels Central Melbourne has a combined 330 suites approved, with construction beginning on one of their sites at 109-111 Little Lonsdale Street last week. A host of other projects also approved to carry a substantial number of serviced apartments; 424-426 St Kilda Road, 360 William Street and 320 Plummer Street are all prime examples.

Some noteworthy projects are also at planning. 158 City Road, 58-66 La Trobe Street and 56-62 Clarendon Street all carry a serviced apartment component as part of larger mixed-use schemes.

The spread of serviced apartments across Melbourne's suburbs is also noteworthy. Airport West, Epping, Moorabbin, Oakleigh, Abbotsford and Coburg North may be beneficiaries of new serviced apartment projects subject to planning approval.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image12_10.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="83 Matthews Avenue includes aserviced apartment contingent"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="372" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image12_10.jpg?itok=Q5aU-pTC" title="83 Matthews Avenue includes aserviced apartment contingent" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>83 Matthews Avenue includes a serviced apartment contingent</figcaption></figure>Harder to quantify are various residential developments which ultimately become in part or entirely serviced apartment outcomes.

A prime example is The Mason Brunswick East at 310 Lygon Street. Having been marketed as traditional apartments to the wider public, the project upon completion includes a complement of serviced apartments available online for booking.

Whilst a highly accurate overall figure for Melbourne's serviced apartment pipeline can be difficult to pinpoint, it's clear that the sector is enjoying a surge in development attention.
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An overview of Melbourne's serviced apartment pipeline 

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During 2014, Apartments.com.au delivered a synopsis of Melbourne's <a href="/news/5000-new-hotel-rooms-for-melbourne">burgeoning hotel scene</a>.

At that stage roughly 5,000 new hotel suites were on the radar, across a variety of dedicated and mixed-use projects. Over the proceeding three years, Melbourne's hotel sector has gone from strength to strength on the back of extremely strong (and predominantly Chinese-driven) tourist growth and an ever strong events calendar; so much so that the number of hotel suites in development has nearly doubled.

Greater Melbourne is now subject to 9,500 new hotel suites; this figure does not include recent builds that have reached completion, indicating that developers still see massive upswing in the Melbourne hotel boom.

Via our Project Database, 45 separate projects are in motion which include hotel suites, as opposed to serviced apartments which are categorised separately and will be subject to a different analysis piece. To be precise, the Project Database's is tracking 9,499 separate hotel suites at varying stages of development.

By no means is it an absolute figure, but we believe it to be the most up to date and complete figure publicly available.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_2987.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="399 Little Lonsdale Street under construction"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="663" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_2987.jpg?itok=PVEcHUB-" title="399 Little Lonsdale Street under construction" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>399 Little Lonsdale Street under construction</figcaption></figure>Of the 9,499, 1,594 or 17% are under construction while 2066 or 21% are at planning. The balance of 5,899 or 62% of all hotel suites Apartments.com.au is tracking are deemed to be either approved or committed to by an operator, but have yet to begin construction.

This figure alone suggests that Melbourne hotel boom has some time yet to run, particularly from a delivery perspective.

Of the 45 projects in play, 20 are listed as developments dedicated solely to hotel use, with the largest purely hotel project being 399 Little Lonsdale Street which is under construction. Its 478 suites will be split between operators Ibis and Novotel.

Conversely the remaining 25 projects being tracked have multiple uses, of which a hotel component is one. Southbank's massive Melbourne Square project is the largest with approval for 621 suites, while SP Setia's Sapphire by the Gardens has the largest operator commitment to date with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts recently signing on for 500 suites.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image53_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Hotel Lindrum was approved last month as Shangri La booked into Melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="291" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image53_3.jpg?itok=ipCftn2y" title="Hotel Lindrum was approved last month as Shangri La booked into Melbourne" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Hotel Lindrum was approved last month as Shangri La booked into Melbourne</figcaption></figure>Naturally of the 9,499 suites, the majority are within City of Melbourne's boundaries.

1,961 suites in development are beyond City of Melbourne, with Box Hill the most active suburb accounting for 450 rooms across three projects; this figure will invariably rise as additional projects filter through City of Whitehorse. As a zone, Melbourne's north is also faring will with multiple hotel projects in development as evidenced by last week's announcement that Mantra would operate a new Epping site with 214 rooms.

Shifting back toward Melbourne's epicentre, and the CBD/Southbank combination is the clear favourite among hotel developers and operators. Apartments.com.au is tracking 3,547 suites across the CBD and 2,468 across Southbank respectively.

A very healthy percentage of these rooms in development spanning the CBD and Southbank have recently signed on operators, with new brands such as Mandarin Oriental, Ritz Carlton and Shangri-La joining in on Melbourne's hotel boon.
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9,500 plus new hotel suites for Melbourne! A break down of the numbers

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To be fair, there isn't a particularly large number of genuine skyscrapers planned for West Melbourne, yet should a new structure plan for 3003 be ratified, the likes of 420 Spencer Street seen below will be the exceptions and not the norm.

The West Melbourne Structure Plan (WMSP) last night went before the Future Melbourne (Planning) Committee at City of Melbourne with the intent of seeking endorsement prior to a period of community and stakeholder consultation during July and August. The new plan will go some way to alleviating Council and community concerns regarding the arrival of skyscrapers within West Melbourne; the tallest reaching 38 levels to date.

Consultancy Urbis has provided a concise <a href="https://urbis.com.au/insights-news/draft-west-melbourne-structure-plan">explanation</a> of the WMSP.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_3391.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="420 Spencer Street is a new high point for West Melbourne "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_3391.jpg?itok=coSqWadg" title="420 Spencer Street is a new high point for West Melbourne " width="580"></a>

<figcaption>420 Spencer Street is a new high point for West Melbourne</figcaption></figure>According to Urbis, key takeaway points from the proposed WMSP include:

<ul>
<li>Height and Floor Area Ratio for Spencer, Flagstaff, Adderley and Station Precincts, and retaining mandatory height controls in other areas. Built form controls are also proposed to apply.</li>
	<li>Rezone key land to Special Use Zone, and require 1:1 employment to residential floor area in Spencer, Station and Flagstaff precincts and 0.5:1 in Adderley Precinct.</li>
	<li>Establish new activity centres to support new local convenience, and support community and creative infrastructure.</li>
	<li>Create new open space and high-quality green streets.</li>
	<li>Require 6% affordable housing as part of developments.</li>
</ul>
These changes are proposed with the intent of maintaining West Melbourne's character whilst promoting feasible growth.

<blockquote>
West Melbourne will play a complementary role to the more intensive areas of development which will surround it into the future. It will retain its identity, diverse areas of character and mix of uses as it evolves.

Its heritage buildings and wide green streets will provide high amenity for residents, as well as commercial and retail opportunity in this distinct, inner urban neighbourhood.
<cite>West Melbourne Structure Plan – Draft for Consultation</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image46_9.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Proposed changes to the Design and Development Overlay’s in West Melbourne. Image: WMSP"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="397" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image46_9.jpg?itok=DKFoCiru" title="Proposed changes to the Design and Development Overlay’s in West Melbourne. Image: WMSP" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Proposed changes to the Design and Development Overlay’s in West Melbourne. Image: WMSP</figcaption></figure>The graphic above demonstrates the new height limits expected to become reality across West Melbourne.

16 levels within the blue shaded Flagstaff Precinct is the maximum height allowable under the proposed changes; a substantial cut in heights relative to a number of towers which currently hold approval in the precinct. Beyond 420 Spencer Street, Deague Group's soon to be built Melbourne Village at 83 Batman Street is the next tallest at 27 levels.

From a development perspective, there are implications for a number of large sites which have been earmarked for development or have yet to head to planning. A lesser development yield can be expected for sites such as the JLL-marketed <a href="http://rca.jll.com.au/property-land+development-vic-west+melbourne-502066978">404-418 Spencer Street</a>; 16 levels is a far cry from the neighbouring 420 Spencer Street at 38 levels.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image24_11.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Plus Architecture's 407-415 King Street was refused during April"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="322" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image24_11.jpg?itok=0-JU0tad" title="Plus Architecture's 407-415 King Street was refused during April" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Plus Architecture's 407-415 King Street was refused during April</figcaption></figure>This planning working being undertaken by the City of Melbourne appears to go hand in hand with the council's recent commentary on the West Gate Tunnel project, and the council's belief that it will increase traffic in the CBD.  The West Gate Tunnel project, based on publicly available plans, is to have an intersection/exit with Dynon road which eventually becomes Spencer Street.

Whilst skyscrapers look likely to have no further impact upon West Melbourne's skyline, the suburb is still a major development hot spot relative to other locales.

Urban.com.au's Project Database is tracking 26 separate residential projects within West Melbourne, with many more thousands of apartments yet to be delivered. These for the most will come in the form of mid-rise projects of between 6-9 levels.

The expectation is that post last night's Future Melbourne (Planning) Committee meeting, the WMSP will be subject to a six week engagement period from today Wednesday 5 July through to Sunday 18 August 2017. 

Further details on the WMSP and the opportunity to provide your feedback is available on the dedicated <a href="https://participate.melbourne.vic.gov.au/westmelbourne#overview">Participate Melbourne</a> page.
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Is this the end of the West Melbourne skyscraper?

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Acland Street has always distinguished itself as one of Melbourne's more divergent strips.

It is also the starting point for Tram 96, which sees in excess of 30,000 individuals utilising Acland Street each week. Despite concerns from traders and local residents regarding the strip's overhaul, regeneration works were carried out over the course of 2016.

Tram 96's high patronage required that Public Transport Victoria carry out necessary infrastructure works, thus prompting Council to initiate the mass overhaul of Acland Street. Encapsulating the stretch between Carlisle and Barkly Streets, the overhaul's main aim was to "become an exemplar of innovative place and transport integrated urban design."

City of Port Phillip, Public Transport Victoria and Yarra Trams went about creating a new and inviting integrated streetscape.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image69_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Number 96 in its new surrounds. Image: John Gollings"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="358" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image69_7.jpg?itok=7SxKrcRn" title="Number 96 in its new surrounds. Image: John Gollings" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Number 96 in its new surrounds. Image: John Gollings</figcaption></figure>Multi-disciplinary design studio McGregor Coxall and BKK Architects were installed by City of Port Phillip as design leads only seven months prior to the targeted (and achieved) opening of the terminus. According to McGregor Coxall, "a team-based approach was applied to design, spearheading a multi-disciplinary team of consultants and stakeholders including Northrop Engineers, Relume Lighting, Morris Accessibility Consultant’s, PTV, Yarra Trams and the City of Port Phillip."

At the heart of the design was the desire to create a best-practice and more adhesive urban outcome, with the integration of transport infrastructure and a new public realm critical.

<blockquote>
‘Kerb to kerb’ thinking was replaced with a ‘façade to façade’ approach that ensured a seamless and fully integrated design of the terminus into its public surrounds, blurring the boundaries between street and infrastructure. By relocating the terminus a new plaza was created, designed as an open community canvas, robust and flexible to offer a wide range of community and arts events.

Overall, a net gain of 30% additional pedestrian space has been reclaimed by the proposal.
<cite>McGregor Coxall</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image76_4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The new Acland Street in action. Image: John Gollings &amp; Christian Borchert"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="471" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image76_4.jpg?itok=6GDRq-ef" title="The new Acland Street in action. Image: John Gollings &amp; Christian Borchert" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The new Acland Street in action. Image: John Gollings &amp; Christian Borchert</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
The design was closely developed and tested with suppliers in an attempt to de-risk the delivery of the project on all levels. Ongoing community consultation, short tracked approval processes with all authorities and stakeholders ensured the development of a streetscape that met all demands and expectations, while maintaining a holistic design approach right to the end.

This included the customisation of standard PTV approved furniture and platform processes in an attempt to de clutter and de-barrier the streetscape resulting in a seamless and border free urban environment.
<cite>McGregor Coxall</cite>
</blockquote>

Large bluestone circles set across the streetscape are designed to evoke the idea of bubbles, "tying the street conceptually to St Kilda beach - the foam of the sea, sparkling sand crystals, the rising bubbles in your drink on the beach." The circular pattern also affirms the area's individual identity and provides a contrast to City of Melbourne and its rectangular geometry.

Yarra Trams CEO Nicolas Gindt said: "Yarra Trams is proud to work in partnership to create places for people. This plaza project offers new vitality and accessibility to an urban space, and we are happy to see it already being used by its community."

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image80_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Acland Street in action. Image: City of Port Phillip"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="370" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image80_2.jpg?itok=maFhe4JQ" title="Acland Street in action. Image: City of Port Phillip" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Acland Street in action. Image: City of Port Phillip</figcaption></figure>It is perhaps the constant and varied use of the new space as a result of the development that is Acland Street redevelopment's best aspect.

McGregor Coxall maintain the new Acland Street is a genuine public space which invites local residents and visitors to enjoy, showcase local art, culture, performances and pop-up events. To that end the strip has and become a focal point for community activity within St Kilda, with music events, yoga classes and art installations featuring since its completion.

‘Vibrant Acland Seed Grants’ provides funding to those wanting to initiate activities in the new plaza across a programme that will span 2017.

Over recent months Acland Street has been home to Regenesis, a public art work consisting of a woven bamboo chamber coupled with a light and sound installation which intends to draw attention to climate change. Its tenure was elongated due to positive public feedback.

The prompt delivery and continuing diversity of Acland Street's regeneration is a benchmark for other similar projects across Melbourne. Here's hoping they are delivered in a similarly timely manner.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image78_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Regenesis by Cave Urban. Image: artclimatechange.org"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image78_1.jpg?itok=YGNS0jnz" title="Regenesis by Cave Urban. Image: artclimatechange.org" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Regenesis by Cave Urban. Image: artclimatechange.org</figcaption></figure>
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Concept to reality: Acland Street's rejuvenation in review

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<blockquote>
How do you tie together a modern icon like the Rialto with an immediate next door neighbor, a gem of Victorian architecture, in a way that reflects the place of this building in the city and its future uses. The whole team has done a remarkable job in achieving that vision.
<cite>Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle</cite>
</blockquote>

The words of Melbourne's Lord Major ring true for many locals. Rialto Towers is instantly recongisable as one of Melbourne's enduring built form icons, with the adjoining InterContinental Melbourne and York Butter Factory lower in stature but equally as important.

Now 31 years old, the Rialto Towers complex is nearing the end of an extensive facelift which has sought to better connect the hulking towers with the surrounding streetscape, whilst also adding value to the asset which is jointly controlled by Grollo Group and the Kuwaiti government-backed St Martins Properties.

Internal fit-outs continue, but the majority of works for the 8,000 square metre regeneration project are now complete and open to public perusal.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_2876.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rialto's new exterior perspective"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_2876.jpg?itok=GOCby1vF" title="Rialto's new exterior perspective" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rialto's new exterior perspective</figcaption></figure>Shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and offices are on show as part of the development, including the first Australian Mercedes me store.

The works of Woods Bagot, Rialto's new addition presents for the most as a uniform structure linking the ornate and timeless InterContinental Melbourne on Collins Street with King Street's former York Butter Factory. Atop the new retail and commercial building, a new rooftop areahas greenery and entertainment areas.

According to a recent <a href="http://www.businessnewsaus.com.au/articles/melbourne-s--200m-rialto-project-nears-completion-after-10-years-of-plannng">interview</a> with Grollo Group CEO Lorenz Grollo, the redevelopment spanned 10 years from conception to completion and has had at least 10 different architects involved at varying points. The new addition has sought to bring the ground plane into the 21st century, whilst the towers were still operating at near full occupancy.

Overall the refurbishment saw roughly $200 million split between the new build and upgrading the existing Rialto Towers.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_3196.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A vastly different street level"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_3196.jpg?itok=D88SFOXf" title="A vastly different street level" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A vastly different street level</figcaption></figure>According to construction firm Built, the project was not without its challenges:

<blockquote>
Located on the corner of Collins and King Streets in the heart of Melbourne, the Rialto Regeneration project draws on all aspects of Built's expertise. Whilst preserving the working experience of 8,000 current building occupants, the project involves new construction of 5,000m² of commercial office space, complex refurbishment of the existing structure and lobby space, and high end office fitout works.

A new 6 storey office construction on the corner of the site is considerate of the existing tower design, with floor spaces connecting into the tower providing up to 3,000m² of office floor plates.
<cite>Built, Rialro Regeneration Project head contractor</cite>
</blockquote>

 With a build value of $74 million, the Rialto Regeneration Project has scored a MBA for Excellence in Health &amp; Safety.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_3197.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Canopy with Rialto towers and the new addition visible"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_3197.jpg?itok=qbVqqMAh" title="Canopy with Rialto towers and the new addition visible" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Canopy with Rialto Towers and the new addition visible</figcaption></figure>Of most intrigue from a design perspective is the new canopy that joins Rialto Towers with InterContinental Melbourne and the new low-rise building. Providing coverage from the elements, the grid shell format immediately draws the eye from the Collins Street entry point. Capable of being illuminated, the canopy sits above a substantial forecourt which is open to the public and has the ability to host exhibitions and/or events.

The deep blue of Rialto Towers' facade has been emulated across the the new building, opposed by offset, less translucent panels.

Upon first inspection, the new additions strike a balance between flair and function, particularly behind the new street facade, whilst also adding a more intimate "Melbourne' laneway experience to a local classic.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_3201.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rialto Towers' entry point has also been refashioned"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_3201.jpg?itok=hDy-i5pp" title="Rialto Towers' entry point has also been refashioned" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rialto Towers' entry point has also been refashioned</figcaption></figure>
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Rialto's regeneration done and dusted

<html><body>
The hotel juggernaut across inner Melbourne is showing no signs of slowing down.

After last week's announcement that <a href="/news/mandarin-oriental-to-open-its-first-hotel-residence-property-in-australia">Mandarin Oriental will anchor the Zaha Hadid-designed 600 Collins Street</a>, three further projects have come to the fore in recent days. A long expected Southbank project is headed for a construction start, whilst Melbourne City Council is attending to two further hotel-based planning applications.

At 167 City Road, signage for builder Maxcon has appeared across the site's frontage, heralding a start to the project which has been on the drawing for roughly five years.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image23_6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="167 City Road may be branded Ibis Styles. Image: CBRE Hotels"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="337" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image23_6.jpg?itok=Tqql8Equ" title="167 City Road may be branded Ibis Styles. Image: CBRE Hotels" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>167 City Road may be branded Ibis Styles. Image: CBRE Hotels</figcaption></figure>In line with a construction start, CBRE Hotels has launched a campaign to sell the site and hotel, which is provisionally proposed as an Ibis Styles outlet. First covered by Apartments.com.au during 2013, the Peddle Thorp design has taken time to come to fruition, but now has an anticipated completion date of late 2018.

The buyer of 167 City Road will eventually inherit a building which includes 162 hotel suites.

Southbank aside, hotel projects also continue to flow into the CBD, as evidenced by applications for both 563-567 Little Lonsdale Street and 589-599 Little Collins Street.

The former is an exceptionally quick progression, with the Little Lonsdale Street site having only sold during March. Lodged with Council last month, the application for the 336sqm site seeks demolition of the onsite low-rise office building for the delivery of a residential hotel project.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/little-lonsdale-street_563-567_2pp_08-3-pdf-image.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="563-567 Little Lonsdale Street as marketed. Image: CBRE City Sales"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/little-lonsdale-street_563-567_2pp_08-3-pdf-image.jpg?itok=qKqLOE-i" title="563-567 Little Lonsdale Street as marketed. Image: CBRE City Sales" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>563-567 Little Lonsdale Street as marketed. Image: CBRE City Sales</figcaption></figure>Plans for Pro-invest Developments' expected hotel at 589-599 Little Collins Street have also been lodged during June.

The firm is working on the roll-out of a portfolio of 10 to 15 Holiday Inn Express hotels across Australia, on behalf of the Pro-invest Australian Hospitality Opportunity Fund. <a href="http://www.afr.com/real-estate/commercial/hotels-and-leisure/proinvest-brings-holiday-inn-express-to-melbourne-cbd-20161220-gtequs">Outlined late last year</a>, Pro-invest has targeted roughly 300 suites for the site, along with retail and office uses.

Substantially larger than the Little Lonsdale site, the planned Holiday Inn Express is set to account for two low-rise office buildings.

 
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City Road checks in; two new CBD hotel developments in the pipeline

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Salta Properties' latest project is poised to clear a major planning hurdle at City of Melbourne's Future Planning Committee sitting this evening.

Council planners have recommended approval for Salta's mixed-use tower at 57-63 Exhibition Street. Replacing ASF House, the currently 203m tower with an expected development cost of $255 million may be required to ditch a number of floors in order to prevent overshadowing of Birrarung Marr.

City of Melbourne planners have requested it be reduced to 183 metres. A mix of hotel and residential, 57-63 Exhibition Street's fate is ultimately with the Planning Minister.

Should the final green light be given, Salta will be in a strong position to woo a hotel operator for the project's 185 suites which range between 34sqm and 82sqm. The immediate area surrounding the Exhibition Street proposal is already a magnet for premium hotel brands; Stamford Plaza, Sheraton Melbourne, Sofitel, Grand Hyatt and a pending NEXT outlet are present.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image16ex.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Exhibition Street perspective. Planning image: Bates Smart"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="465" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image16ex.jpg?itok=Xr7PMg0c" title="Exhibition Street perspective. Planning image: Bates Smart" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Exhibition Street perspective. Planning image: Bates Smart</figcaption></figure>57-63 Exhibition Street's ground plane treatment has seen a laneway inserted, connecting Strachan Lane and Chester Lane. Incidentally Strachan Lane was subject to a <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/chequerboard-art-in-melbournes-strachan-lane-washed-away/news-story/8807c8fc73d039ab1ef4049b3ddc4013">creative urban art installation</a> earlier this year which riled Council.

Report documents talk of the the "considered placement of openings and fine detailing in the (proposal's) podium facade and the ramp’s internal elevations, this alluring detail and materiality becomes the focus of Chester Lane when experienced from Flinders Lane, enticing passers by to explore further." The design also allows for adjacent properties to be redeveloped in an equitable manner.

City of Melbourne planners have called for further design changes in addition to the slight height decrease. Fenestration to the southern boundary wall above a height of 80 metres has been sought, along with further detail regarding the proposal's ground floor plane.

<blockquote>
Broadly, the proposed development exhibits a high quality design, providing a podium that will successfully integrate with the height and detailing of adjacent graded historic buildings in addition to providing a high degree of activation and site permeability. The tower component achieves adequate separation and setbacks, and the design exhibits excellent internal amenity.

Subject to the recommended conditions, it is considered that the subject site can support a building of this scale, and the proposal will make a positive contribution to Exhibition Street and Melbourne’s City
<cite>Report to the Future Melbourne (Planning) Committee</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image21_13.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Faceted to the floor. Planning image: Bates Smart"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="507" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image21_13.jpg?itok=UD8RcfTo" title="Faceted to the floor. Planning image: Bates Smart" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Faceted to the floor. Planning image: Bates Smart</figcaption></figure>For Salta, the nod from Council tonight is a major step toward securing approval for the site which was entered into a joint venture with Malaysia’s Asia One. Although Asia One held the site outright initially, scant little has been heard from the developer since the joint venture was announced; perhaps a coincidence but Salta Properties Pty Ltd is the sole entity listed within the report to Council.

Regardless, 57-63 Exhibition Street adds to Salta's pending apartment development pipeline.

Their Park House project at 627 Victoria Street, Abbotsford has seen Icon Co installed as preferred builder, with a start to the 500 plus apartment build imminent. Also on the radar is 695-699 La Trobe Street, a 28 level tower containing rental apartments and hotel suites.

Upon approval, 57-63 Exhibition Street would join 249-261 Queens Parade, Clifton Hill and additional apartment projects within the Salta's Victoria Gardens precinct as future projects.
</body></html>

CoM moves to provide clearance for 63 Exhibition's lofty ambitions

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A litmus test beckons for <a href="/new-apartments/reservoir-vic-3073">Reservoir</a> as the suburb's largest apartment release becomes reality.

<a href="/new-apartments/the-plenty-residences-830-plenty-road-reservoir">The Plenty Residences at 830 Plenty Road</a> has progressed to marketing, with the release of the first stage of the project's 347 dwellings across the site which sits atop the Summerhill Village Precinct.

Reservoir's largest apartment development, The Plenty Residences represents what developer <a href="/developers/jlf-property-group">JLF Property Group</a> hopes is the end game for the site which has changed hands and seen various proposals over the best part of a decade.

Apartments, townhouses and commercial suites constitute the project, with multiple buildings set around a central green space.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image6_16.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Green space is key to the project. Image: Architeria Architcts"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="553" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image6_16.jpg?itok=bIBF1Q9t" title="Green space is key to the project. Image: Architeria Architcts" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Green space is key to the project. Architeria Architects/JLF Property Group/FKD</figcaption></figure><a href="/architects/architeria-architects">Architeria Architects</a> have conceived The Plenty Residences, having previously worked with JLF Property Group at the documentation stage of Central Avenue Apartments in Box Hill.

On tailoring The Plenty Residences to meet current market demands in a suburb not given to such large apartment projects, Architeria Architects Managing Director Mel Gawi provided the following:

<blockquote>
The partnership in this project was based on open and flowing communication, hours of lengthy discussions, often after hours; all  to achieve the best outcome for the project.

The Plenty Residences has gone through intensive  design development where buildability was significantly improved. This was achieved by Architeria Architects  in collaboration with mechanical and services engineers, as well as the Client Group.

The apartments have been designed to cater for both investors and owner occupiers, and there is a vast diversity of apartment types. The Plenty residences offer a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments plus 17 townhouses along with 11 commercial suites.

The apartments enjoy 360 degree views – city and mountain views, and the apartments have been designed to best capture them.
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/v09_penthouseliving.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Uninterrupted views will be a key selling point. Image: Architeria Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="315" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/v09_penthouseliving.jpg?itok=ZXxFs35i" title="Uninterrupted views will be a key selling point. Image: Architeria Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Uninterrupted views will be a key selling point. Image: Architeria Architects/JLF Property Group/FKD</figcaption></figure>With no comparative apartment development in Reservoir, The Plenty Residences is expected to become a recongisable landmark upon completion.

<blockquote>
Dynamic forms and shapes creating a strong sense of address; twisted cubes representing falling dices.

A rhapsody of architectural elements; purple reflection, bold curves and  crisp white cubes harmoniously braking up the façade together with earthy concrete and elegant touches of metal cladding. All elements are in a perfect balance that allows each part of the building to  become a hero in its own right.
</blockquote>

In adjoining suburbs <a href="/new-apartments/bundoora-vic-3083">Bundoora</a> and <a href="/new-apartments/preston-vic-3072">Preston</a>, various apartment developments have taken root. Reservoir's comparatively late arrival on the apartment scene can in part be attributed to alack of sizeable developable sites.

According to Forecast ID, the 2017 population forecast for Reservoir is 52,215. The Plenty Residences will considerably bolster the suburb's population upon its completion.
</body></html>

Reservoir enters the fray with The Plenty Residences

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Property consultants Urbis in their latest Melbourne Apartment Essentials report have provided hard data affirming what many at the coal face of Melbourne's apartment industry have known for some time; apartments have well and truly established themselves in Melbourne middle and outer ring suburbs.

What wasn't known was the degree to which apartment living has taken root in traditionally detached housing areas.

According to Urbis, the March 2017 quarter saw for the first time apartment sales outside the inner city outweigh the more established inner city zone. That is, 58% of apartment sales were registered outside the inner city; a first since Urbis began the Melbourne Apartment Essentials series.

<blockquote>
Apartment living is no longer just for CBD dwellers, and precincts like the Inner North, which captured 43% of total inner Melbourne sales, are well set up for apartment living. They provide residents with easy access to transport and neighbourhood character, as well as an affordable entry-point to the market.

Moonee Ponds, Heidelberg and Footscray are all markets that we have seen emerge over the past few years.
<cite>Mark Dawson, Director of Property Economics and Research, Urbis</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_1671.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Strengthening sales has led to strong a robust suburban apartment construction scene"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="360" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_1671.jpg?itok=ss_t0zuM" title="Strengthening sales has led to strong a robust suburban apartment construction scene" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Strengthening sales has led to a robust suburban apartment construction scene</figcaption></figure>According to Dawson, the increase in apartment activity in middle and outer suburbs can be attributed to destination amenity coupled with infrastructure investment. Add a tightening market for suitable inner city development sites, and the trend of apartments pushing further away from Melbourne's core is expected to continue.

Urbis also cites the shift in buyer preferences as being attributable to push and pull factors. Push factors include a mutually reinforcing market push that nudges purchasers and developers beyond their feasibility thresholds to explore new areas. At the same time, Urbis asserts that pull factors revolve around city-wide urban renewal points such as Sunshine and Monash.

Boosts to transport, planning, and investment around National Employment and Innovation Clusters will invariably pull new residents into these designated development zones.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image2_13.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="M-City is an example of a residential project within a designated Cluster. Image: CBRE"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="304" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image2_13.jpg?itok=deb9u4qI" title="M-City is an example of a residential project within a designated Cluster. Image: CBRE" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>M-City is an example of a residential project within a designated Cluster. Image: CBRE</figcaption></figure>Yesterday CBRE announced that M-City in Clayton, an example of a residential project located well beyond the inner city and within a National Employment and Innovation Cluster, had delivered 172 sales over two weekends. The first phase of M-City to go on sale had 175 units in total.

Melbourne Apartment Essentials recorded almost 500 sales from 47 projects in the March 2017 quarter.

Four new projects amounting to 1,471 units launched, whereas the equivalent period last year witnessed 14 developments at 2,878 launch to market. The scaling back of apartment releases is in line with market sentiment, with developers taking a more cautious approach to project releases.

<blockquote>
We expect to see fewer project launches which will ensure the market maintains a healthy balance of supply and demand. Of the projects we monitor, 82% of stock has been sold.

At this stage of the market it is not about a large reduction in sales or drop in price, but a change in the type of sales we are seeing and where apartments are selling. After a more subdued quarter in inner Melbourne, we maintain our expectation of a boost in activity prior to the 1 July stamp duty changes.

<cite>Mark Dawson, Director of Property Economics and Research, Urbis</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_2153.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The recently completed 9 High within Preston is symptomatic of that suburb's growth"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_2153.jpg?itok=9MjCFlC9" title="The recently completed 9 High within Preston is symptomatic of that suburb's growth" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The recently completed 9 High within Preston is symptomatic of that suburb's apartment growth</figcaption></figure><h2>Melbourne Apartment Essentials Q1 2017 snapshot</h2>

The Melbourne Apartment Essentials report found:

<ul>
<li>Urbis recorded just under 500 off the plan sales in the March 2017 quarter. Of these, 42% were in the Inner Melbourne area, while 58% were recorded in Melbourne’s middle ring.</li>
	<li>For the first time since reporting commenced, the majority of inner Melbourne sales were outside of the Central Precinct. The Inner North recorded the most sales (85 sales), followed by the Inner East (53 sales), Central (40 sales), Inner West (17 sales) and Inner South (1 sale).</li>
	<li>The weighted average sales price for the March 2017 quarter was $706,391, a $44,476 increase compared to the December 2016 quarter. This increase was driven by the volume of two-bedroom product selling.</li>
	<li>Two-bedroom, two-bathroom product was the most popular, accounting for 35% of total sales, an increase from 29% in the previous quarter.</li>
	<li>One-bedroom, one-bathroom, one-car product accounted for 18% of total sales.</li>
	<li>Four new projects launched amounting to 1,471 units this quarter, compared to seven projects amounting to 3,741 units at the end of the June 2016 quarter. Launches have decreased as the market self-regulates, although we have been expecting to see a short term rebound to beat the stamp duty changes on 1 July.</li>
</ul>
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Urbis quantifies the apartment shift to Melbourne's middle and outer suburbs

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FH_1EzB-1vs?si=XScVlP1ERsTDJoME" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsioMLcnjas?si=zq-ys3JuWpfa5hFv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

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Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

Joel Robinson

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Virgate Property Group is preparing to commence construction of Verdé, its new apartment development in Melbourne's Arts Precinct at Southbank, following a strong run of sales that has seen more than half of the project's 173 apartments secured.

Verdé has attracted a broad mix of first home buyers, owner-occupiers upgrading from nearby inner-city suburbs and investors, with younger owner-occupier couples aged between 28 and 45 accounting for the strongest enquiry. Many are already living in Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and the CBD.

"Verdé is located in one of the most desirable pockets of southern Melbourne," Blair Property Group Director Darren Blair, who is managing sales at Verdé, said.

"It's within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake, and Southbank's restaurants and retail. It's a great lifestyle location with strong amenity and liveability, which made it a very attractive choice for the project."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372549]

Virgate was already familiar with the precinct, having previously delivered the successful Domain House development in neighbouring South Melbourne. That experience gave the developer confidence to acquire the Coventry Street site and continue expanding its presence in Melbourne's inner south.

"We had been keeping an eye on the site and the broader precinct for a few months before deciding to move forward with the acquisition," Virgate said.

The project was ultimately secured in 2020 following feasibility studies, planning assessments and due diligence, with the brief centred on delivering "a high-quality, considered design that feels both refined and fit for purpose."

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, Verdé comprises 173 one, two and three-bedroom apartments priced from $599,000. The architecture is distinguished by a faceted glass façade that responds to both the site's outlook and Melbourne's changing light conditions.

According to Bruce Henderson Architects, the coloured glazing gives the building a distinctive identity while also providing privacy and solar shading, with residences oriented to capture views across the bay, city skyline and surrounding parklands.

Inside, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/designoffice">DesignOffice</a> has created interiors focused on natural light, efficient planning and enduring materials. Apartments feature engineered oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling glazing and SMEG appliances, while a restrained material palette aims to complement the expansive outlooks rather than compete with them.

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Resident amenity has also been designed around everyday functionality rather than occasional use. Facilities include a concierge-serviced lobby, residents' lounge with fireplace, library and co-working space, gym, terrace garden with barbecue facilities, ground-floor café, and package delivery management.

The project's location continues to be one of its strongest drawcards. Positioned on Coventry Street, Verdé sits within walking distance of the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens and Albert Park Lake, while Southbank's dining precinct, Sturt Street trams and the new ANZAC Station are all nearby. The surrounding education catchment also includes Melbourne Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and several major university campuses.

The sales team says buyers have responded particularly well to the combination of location, design quality and long-term liveability.

"They're responding really positively to the quality of the design, premium resident amenities and the uninterrupted views. Many also appreciate the location and how connected it is to everything they need."

The ability to secure stamp duty savings before completion has also been a key factor for purchasers, alongside the opportunity to personalise finishes ahead of settlement.

With construction set to commence soon and more than half the apartments already sold, Verdé enters its next phase as one of the Arts Precinct's more established apartment developments, offering remaining buyers an opportunity to secure a residence before construction advances further. Expected completion is scheduled for late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=4661]

Virgate's Verdé Southbank moves toward construction as sales fly past halfway stage

Downsizer-focused apartment development Kooyongkoot in Hawthorn has been recognised at the 2026 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards, taking home Gold and Silver awards in two categories.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a>, currently being delivered by developer PQD and designed by Cera Stribley, received Gold in the Interior Design – Proposed category and Silver in the Architecture – Proposed category.

The dual recognition reflects the design approach behind the boutique development on prestigious Kooyongkoot Road, where the focus has been on creating homes for downsizers seeking the space, quality and functionality of a detached house within a low-rise apartment building.

Rather than maximising apartment numbers, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pqd">PQD</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a> limited the development to just 18 residences, allowing for larger floorplans, greater privacy, generous landscaping and expansive communal spaces.&nbsp;The majority of the apartments also benefit from corner aspects, allowing for dual sources of natural light.

Now around 70 per cent complete and on track for completion in November 2026, Kooyongkoot will comprise a mix of garden residences, ter​race apartments, sub-penthouses, and is crowned by two half-floor penthouses with direct lift access and private rooftop terraces.

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The Silver Award for Architecture recognised the way the building responds to its prominent corner position at the ent​rance to Hawthorn's Scotch Hill precinct, one of Melbourne's most established residential neighbourhoods.

Rather than competing with the grand homes that line Kooyongkoot Road, the architectural approach focused on restraint and longevity, using curved brickwork, generous landscaping and carefully considered proportions to integrate with the existing streetscape.

"The form feels fluid and timeless, as though shaped by the landscape itself – architecture that belongs, rather than competes," said Chris Stribley, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Cera Stribley.

The judging submission also highlighted practical innovations throughout the building, including lift cores servicing only nine homes each, a central landscaped lightcourt designed to bring daylight and ventilation into the building, and fully enclosed private storage rooms with lighting, power and shelving to better accommodate residents transitioning from larger family homes.

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The Gold Award for Interior Design recognised the project's focus on long-term liveability rather than display-home aesthetics.

According to the awards submission, the interiors were designed from the inside out, prioritising how homes would function over decades of daily use through generous proportions, practical storage, durable natural materials and flexible layouts.

The specification includes natural stone throughout, upgraded acoustic glazing, V-ZUG appliances and fully enclosed storage rooms, alongside an amenity offering focused on wellness, entertainment and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Residents will have access to a gym and yoga studio, a wellness centre featuring traditional and infrared saunas, a cold therapy shower and treatment room, as well as a residents' lounge and golf simulator/cinema room for entertainment.&nbsp;Kooyongkoot has also considered the everyday convenience of its residents by offering a private carwash and pet wash facilities on site as well as dedicated parcel lockers and oversized fully enclosed storage rooms.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355303]

The project's attention to detail has already resonated with buyers. Earlier this year, Kooyongkoot recorded one of Boroondara's highest apartment sales when an $8 million penthouse was purchased by a Melbourne CEO downsizing from a nearby family home.

"Every detail feels deliberate, from the overall design down to the smallest touches," the purchaser said.

"The level of quality and refinement is exceptional, but what really sold it was how liveable it felt... It felt like a place where everything had been considered, not just a luxury building."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355304]

Sustainability also formed a key part of both award submissions. Kooyongkoot is targeting a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating across all residences, supported by passive design principles, high-performance glazing, EV charging infrastructure, water reuse systems and a wellness model focused on lower-energy dry facilities rather than pools and large wet areas.

Located within walking distance of Scotch College, Methodist Ladies' College, Koo​yong Lawn Tennis Club, Aubur​n Village and Camberwell Junction, Kooyongkoot continues to target owner-occupiers looking to remain in Melbourne's inner east without compromising on space or quality. A limited selection of two, three and four-bedroom residences remains available, with prices starting from $1.9 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102717]

Kooyongkoot wins Gold and Silver at Better Future Melbourne Design Awards

New apartment supply has become increasingly constrained across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a> in recent years, with fewer projects progressing through to completion as development conditions have become more challenging.

It makes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/novm">NOVM</a>'s 2021-completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> one of the most recently completed residential towers on the Parramatta River, and among the newest apartment developments in Sydney's second CBD.

With the project largely completed before the sharp escalation in construction costs and inflation following the pandemic, The Lennox is now offering pricing that would be difficult to replicate in a comparable new development in Parramatta today, or across much of Western Sydney.

The majority of the 413 apartments at The Lennox sold before and shortly after completion. A limited release of the remaining apartments has recently been brought to market by capital partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a>, with entry-level pricing from $700,000 and two-bedroom apartments available from under $1 million.

Rising above the Parramatta River at 12 Phillip Street, The Lennox comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, appealing to first home buyers, young professionals, families, downsizers and interstate investors seeking a completed apartment in one of Australia's fastest-growing economic centres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=372394]

Rather than positioning Parramatta as an alternative to Sydney's CBD, Equitifund believes the city has reached a point where it stands on its own merits.

"Parramatta is no longer simply an alternative to Sydney CBD, it's becoming a destination in its own right," Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said.

"The Lennox captures that evolution with a level of quality and amenity that's difficult to match at its price point."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=953]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, the tower responds directly to its riverfront setting through expansive glazing and open-plan layouts that maximise views across the Parramatta River and city skyline. Interiors feature engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and floor-to-ceiling glazing, while generous balconies extend the living spaces outdoors.

Marchese Partners says the project was conceived to balance high-quality apartment living with practical, long-term functionality, pairing larger, efficient floorplans with amenities more commonly associated with five-star hotels.

That emphasis continues through the resident facilities, which include a 20-metre rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped gym and wellness spaces, full-time concierge, a residents' lounge, function room, private lifts, secure basement parking and rooftop communal areas overlooking the Parramatta River. Ground-floor boardwalk retail and dining further activate the riverfront and integrate the building into the surrounding public realm.

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Australian housing and finance group Equitifund has secured the remaining apartments, believing there are few completed apartment opportunities in Parramatta that offer the same combination of location, amenity and pricing.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett says buyers are increasingly recognising that premium apartment living no longer needs to come with Sydney CBD pricing.

"The Lennox is where aspirational living becomes attainable," Hamblett said.

"Wake to river and mountain views, step into Sydney's Second CBD, and arrive home to resort-calibre amenities, all without the harbour price tag."

Hamblett says owner-occupiers are also attracted by the convenience of having Westfield Parramatta, Church Street's dining precinct, Parramatta Park, Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney University and major transport connections all within walking distance.

"At The Lennox, lifestyle is not an afterthought, it is the foundation."

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The Lennox places residents within walking distance of Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta, Church Street Eat Street, Parramatta Station, the ferry wharf, Light Rail, the future Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Park and CommBank Stadium, reinforcing Parramatta's position as one of Australia's most connected metropolitan centres outside Sydney's CBD.

Equitifund says buyers visiting the display suite consistently comment on the quality of the finishes, generous floorplans, river and skyline views, and the walkability of the location. The project has attracted a broad mix of local professionals, upsizers, downsizers, buyers relocating from Sydney's inner suburbs and interstate investors seeking long-term growth opportunities.

That demand aligns with Parramatta's continued evolution as an economic powerhouse. Equitifund Research and Market Insights specialist John Bekiaris says sustained population growth, infrastructure investment and expanding employment opportunities continue to support long-term housing demand across the city.

"Parramatta has evolved from a satellite city into one of Australia's most important economic centres. Population growth, infrastructure investment and employment are all supporting sustained long-term housing demand."

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The apartment price gap drawing Sydney buyers west

A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.

The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.

The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.

The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.

Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.

"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.

"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."

<img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" />

Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.

Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.

Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.

"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.

"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."

Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.

Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.

Mark Baljak

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